Patent Application
20250205534
Hard surface sports surfaces, such as courts used for tennis, pickleball, and basketball, can cause injury and often have suboptimal ball responsiveness. However, the durability and low maintenance of hard surface courts make them an attractive option for outdoor courts. Some attempts have been made to provide cushioned court surfaces, but the installation is expensive and time-consuming. Existing products include cushion layers that are bonded from resilient particles on site, require multiple layers of materials applied with a squeegee, cannot be installed over cracks or damaged substrates, and/or suffer from dead spots and uneven performance.
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for sports surface layers, systems for surfacing sports surfaces, and methods of surfacing sports surfaces.
An embodiment of the present disclosure includes a system for surfacing a sports surface that includes a rubber shock pad comprising about 70% to 90% post-consumer recycled crumb rubber bound with a polyurethane adhesive.
An embodiment of the present disclosure also includes a method for surfacing a sports surface. The method can include the following steps: a) positioning at least one rubber shock pad over a substrate; b) peeling back the at least one rubber shock pad to expose a portion of the substrate; c) applying an adhesive to the substrate; d) repositioning the at least one rubber shock pad; and e) repeating steps b)-d) until all of a bottom surface of the at least one rubber shock pad is adhered to the substrate.
An embodiment of the present disclosure also includes sports surface system that includes a sports surface layer formed from abrasive particles bonded by a polymer to a dimensionally stable plastic film. The bottom surface of the layer can be coated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive covered by a removable protective liner.
These and other aspects, objects, features, and embodiments will become apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode as presently perceived.
For a more complete understanding of the embodiments and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following description, in conjunction with the accompanying figures briefly described as follows:
The drawings illustrate only example embodiments and are therefore not to be considered limiting of the scope described herein, as other equally effective embodiments are within the scope and spirit of this disclosure. The elements and features shown in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Additionally, certain dimensions may be exaggerated to help visually convey certain principles. In the drawings, similar reference numerals between figures designate like or corresponding, but not necessarily the same, elements.
Before the present disclosure is described in greater detail, it is to be understood that this disclosure is not limited to particular embodiments described, and as such may, of course, vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting, since the scope of the present disclosure will be limited only by the appended claims.
Where a range of values is provided, it is understood that each intervening value, to the tenth of the unit of the lower limit unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, between the upper and lower limit of that range and any other stated or intervening value in that stated range, is encompassed within the disclosure. The upper and lower limits of these smaller ranges may independently be included in the smaller ranges and are also encompassed within the disclosure, subject to any specifically excluded limit in the stated range. Where the stated range includes one or both of the limits, ranges excluding either or both of those included limits are also included in the disclosure.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can also be used in the practice or testing of the present disclosure, the preferred methods and materials are now described.
As will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading this disclosure, each of the individual embodiments described and illustrated herein has discrete components and features which may be readily separated from or combined with the features of any of the other several embodiments without departing from the scope or spirit of the present disclosure. Any recited method can be carried out in the order of events recited or in any other order that is logically possible.
Embodiments of the present disclosure will employ, unless otherwise indicated, techniques of chemistry, material science, and the like, which are within the skill of the art.
The following examples are put forth so as to provide those of ordinary skill in the art with a complete disclosure and description of how to perform the methods and use the devices and methods disclosed and claimed herein. Efforts have been made to ensure accuracy with respect to numbers (e.g., amounts, temperature, etc.), but some errors and deviations should be accounted for. Unless indicated otherwise, parts are parts by weight, temperature is in ° C., and pressure is at or near atmospheric. Standard temperature and pressure are defined as 20° C. and 1 atmosphere.
Before the embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail, it is to be understood that, unless otherwise indicated, the present disclosure is not limited to particular materials, reagents, reaction materials, manufacturing processes, or the like, as such can vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for purposes of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. It is also possible in the present disclosure that steps can be executed in different sequence where this is logically possible.
It must be noted that, as used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
In accordance with the purpose(s) of the present disclosure, as embodied and broadly described herein, embodiments of the present disclosure, in some aspects, relate to surfaces for sports (e.g., pickleball, tennis, basketball, netball, playground games, Padel, POP Tennis, other racquet sports, and mixed use courts).
In general, embodiments of the present disclosure provide for systems for surfacing courts and methods for applying the sports surfaces.
An embodiment of the present disclosure includes a system for surfacing courts that includes a rubber shock pad comprising about 70% to 90% post-consumer recycled crumb rubber bound with a polyurethane adhesive. Advantageously, the sports surface described herein is fully adhered, seamless, and installed in place. The sports surface provides a cushioned overlay and can be adhered to substrates such as concrete or asphalt, and can be used on moderately degraded substrates. Advantageously, the sports surface can be installed over cracked substrates.
In various embodiments, the post-consumer recycled crumb rubber content is about 86%. In other embodiments, the crumb rubber can be such as virgin rubber, Ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), or combinations thereof. The crumb, or granularized, rubber allows for deflection and shock absorption due to the airspace between all the bound particles.
The rubber shock pad can be provided in multiple sizes and thicknesses. In some embodiments, the rubber shock pad can be from about 4 mm to about 8 mm thick. In a particular embodiment, the rubber shock pad can be about 4 mm thick. In some embodiments, the rubber shock pad can be about 82 feet long. In a particular embodiment, the rubber shock pad can be about 59 inches wide by about 60 feet long, which weighs about 174 lbs. A typical pickleball court is about 60 feet long and a typical tennis court is approximately 120 feet long. Thus, a rubber shock pad having a length of 60 feet is appropriately sized for pickleball and tennis installations and a suitable weight for handling. In other embodiments, smaller or larger dimensioned rubber shock pads can be provided to suit particular needs, such as to accommodate non-standard court size or providing a consumer or installer with lighter rolls of rubber shock pads for easier single-person installation.
As used herein, unless otherwise defined, a bottom surface is a surface facing the substrate and the top surface is a facing the playing surface (e.g. the surface that will be contacted by a player's feet and is exposed to the environment when installed).
In some embodiments, the system can be installed such that the court includes exposed substrate around the border of the system. For example, where a court area is 62 feet long and the rubber shock pad is 60 feet long, a one-foot border can be left between the rubber shock pad and the fence or edge of the court. The border may be transitioned with a concrete-type mixture or a synthetic transition strip, but is not required. Substrates can be wood, concrete, asphalt, vinyl. Depending on the substrate and its condition, the substrate may be leveled and smoothed.
In various embodiments, the rubber shock pads can be provided with edge markings or numberings to aid an end user in positioning and aligning the pads during installation, such as in embodiments where the rubber shock pad is overlaid with a printed material.
In various embodiments, the rubber shock pad can be self-adhesive. The rubber shock pad can have an adhesive bottom surface such that the rubber shock pad can be adhered to the substrate without an additional step of pouring adhesive during installation. The bottom surface can include a removable backing over the adhesive bottom to protect the adhesive prior to installation.
Where more than one rubber shock pad is needed to cover the substrate, the rubber shock pads can be adhered to one another using a liquid seam sealer to produce a seamless, resilient surface over the substrate. The seam sealer can be a latex-based sealer. In other embodiments, the seam sealer can be such as urethanes or urethane caulks. The seam sealer can, in some embodiments, be a carboxylated styrene butadiene latex that bonds the mats together. The seam sealer can be applied between 36° F. and 130° F. In some embodiments, two coats can be used, where the first coat fills and the second coat levels.
In various embodiments, the system also includes a color coating (e.g., painted surface) that can be applied to the top surface (playing surface) of the rubber shock pad. The color coating can comprise latex and/or self-crosslinking acrylic. Either or both can contain silica sand for texture. The color coatings are highly flexible and strong in order to adapt to the deflection in the rubber mat and also resist damage from feet, racquets, and other foreign objects.
One example color coating is the Acrytech™ PicklePro™ Flex coating. In some embodiments, an acrylic mat sealer can be applied over the rubber shock pad and the sealed seams to fill in voids, to level, and to smooth in preparation for color coatings. In alternative embodiments, such as where a printed overlay material is used (e.g., 3M™ Safety-Walk™ 688) is used, a mat sealer is not applied.
The color coating can be applied to the top surface and smoothed using such as a squeegee. In The color coating can be applied in one or more layers. In various embodiments, different colors can be applied in different areas to delineate playing areas (e.g., service boxes, baseline area, out-of-bounds, free throw areas, logos).
In some embodiments, the system described above can be applied directly to an existing substrate where the existing substrate is only mildly to moderately degraded. Mildly to moderately degraded can include voids or cracks that are not more than ¼ inch wide. In other embodiments, the substrate can be prepared prior to installation of the system to fill cracks, voids, and/or joints, where cracks are repaired and depressions are leveled and smoothed.
The present disclosure provides for methods of applying the sports surfacing system as described above. The method can include positioning at least one rubber shock pad over the concrete or asphalt substrate. When the pad has been positioned, the pad can be partially peeled halfway back to expose a portion of the substrate, and an adhesive applied to the substrate. The peeled back portion of the pad is then repositioned by rolling the pad back into place and the process repeated on the remaining half. The process is continued on all additional pads until the substrate is covered. Advantageously, the adhesive does not instantly set, allowing for slight repositioning of the mat(s) if necessary. Once the adhesive has set, the pads can be rolled with a floor roller to ensure complete surface adhesion and that no voids exist.
A seam sealant comprising latex can be applied to seams between adjacent pads. An additional latex-based mat sealant can also be applied. In other embodiments, a seam sealant comprising urethane, such as a urethane caulk, can be applied.
Optionally, after application of the seam sealer and/or the mat sealer, a resurfacer can be applied. The resurfacer is a self-crosslinking flexible acrylic coating that can further improve hiding the seams. The resufacer typically contains or is mixed with sand and is similar to the color coating. It can be a different color from the color coating.
Once the sealants have dried, the color coating described above can be applied to the top surface of the pads.
The sports installation process can be finished by adding line paint. The line paint, and primer if used, can be applied using a standard line striping machine or hand painted. Because the surface is resilient, less pressure can be applied with the line striping machine than on a traditional hard court.
Another embodiment of the disclosure provides for a sports surface system including a layer formed from large abrasive particles bonded by a tough, durable polymer to a dimensionally stable plastic film. In some embodiments, the bottom surface of the layer is coated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive covered by a removable protective liner. A slow-evaporating solvent can be applied to the underlying layer to delay the adhesive and allow the sports surface layer to be positioned during installation. In some embodiments, the layer does not contain an adhesive and the adhesive is applied during installation. Advantageously, the system is a fully adhered with barely visible seams, and can be installed in place.
The sports surface layer can be printed with a flatbed LED UV printer or using a roll-to-roll solvent-based printer. The layer can be printed with graphics, logos, installation markings, and the like. The ink can be such as a UV-cured ink. Advantageously, no additional top coatings or sealers need to be applied to the top surface of the layer.
In various embodiments, the sports surface layer can be applied directly to a concrete or asphalt substrate. Advantageously, the layer can be applied to the top surface of the rubber shock mat as described above, providing a system having a printed top and a cushioned underlay.
In various embodiments, the sports surface layer has a dynamic coefficient of friction with rubber of about 0.90 before printing; the sports surface layer has a static coefficient of friction with rubber of about 1.31 before printing.
In some embodiments, the sports surface layer is removable, with a polyurethane backing allowing for temporary hold. Such systems can be installed for temporary use, such as on sealed wooden gym floors. Advantageously, the sport surface layer can be portable for temporary installation and reuse in another location. In some embodiments, the system is about 48 inches wide. In future embodiments, the system can be manufactured in wider widths to provide for seamless installations.
In some embodiments, the entire system is removable and portable. The rubber shock pads can be provided to the substrate as a mat in which the rubber shock pads are already seamed together using a seam sealer such as a styrene butadiene glue. The top of the mat can be covered with a polyester scrim layer applied to the seams (e.g. in widths of about 6 inches to about 18 inches) and a fiberglass mesh layer. The fiberglass mesh layer can be adhered to the entirety of the top layer with styrene butadiene glue. The fiberglass mesh layer adds additional tensile strength to the assembly to reduce stretching over use of the polyester scrim alone. The fiberglass mesh can have a width of about 36 inches to about 60 inches, where 60 inches is preferable. Each section can be slightly overlapped section by section for uniformity and strength. In particular embodiments, the fiberglass mesh has a weave pattern of 20×10, meaning 20 strands wide, 10 long, per square inch. However, other fiberglass materials can be used as can be envisioned by a person having ordinary skill in the art. Similarly, although styrene butadiene glue is used due to higher tensile strength compared to acrylic, other suitable adhesives can be used as can be envisioned by a person having ordinary skill in the art.
Where additional strength is desired, the polyurethane backing can be supplied on the bottom surface of the rubber shock pads. In other embodiments, a temporary sports surface layer can comprise acrylic coatings such as color coating applied to a polyester polyurethane film. In some embodiments, the sports surface layer can be printed and applied to the rubber shock pads.
The portable system can be rolled up over a cylindrical core such as cardboard and strapped. The portable system can then be attached via the straps to an I-beam assembly on a forklift for easy placement on the substrate, as shown in
The present disclosure also provides for methods of applying the sports surface layer system as described above. The method can include positioning the layer on a substrate. The positioning can include aligning graphics or printed portions. Advantageously, line markings can be printed, removing the need for additional line striping and painting. When the layer has been positioned, the layer can be partially peeled halfway back to expose a portion of the substrate, and a solvent applied to the substrate. The solvent can be a blend of petroleum hydrocarbon, water, fatty acid soap and nonionic surfactant. In other embodiments, the solvent can be such as Brampton® HF-100®. The removable protective liner can be removed and the peeled-back portion of the layer put back into place.
The process can be continued on all additional sections of the layers until the layer is fully adhered to the substrate. Advantageously, the adhesive does not instantly set, allowing for slight repositioning of the layer segments if necessary.
The layer can be provided in multiple sizes. In a particular embodiment, the layer can be about 48 inches wide and can have a length of about 300 feet long. In some embodiments, the layer is about 60 feet long. When provided to the rubber shock pad, the layer can overlap the seams excluding the center seam to cover a pickleball court in two rolls. In other embodiments, smaller or larger dimensioned rubber shock pads can be provided to suit particular needs, such as to accommodate non-standard court sizes.
Turning now to the examples and Figures, exemplary embodiments are described in detail.
Now having described the embodiments of the disclosure, in general, the examples describe some additional embodiments. While embodiments of the present disclosure are described in connection with the example and the corresponding text and figures, there is no intent to limit embodiments of the disclosure to these descriptions. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents included within the spirit and scope of embodiments of the present disclosure.
It should be noted that ratios, concentrations, amounts, and other numerical data may be expressed herein in a range format. It is to be understood that such a range format is used for convenience and brevity, and thus, should be interpreted in a flexible manner to include not only the numerical values explicitly recited as the limits of the range, but also to include all the individual numerical values or sub-ranges encompassed within that range as if each numerical value and sub-range is explicitly recited. To illustrate, a concentration range of “about 0.1% to about 5%” should be interpreted to include not only the explicitly recited concentration of about 0.1 wt % to about 5 wt %, but also include individual concentrations (e.g., 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4%) and the sub-ranges (e.g., 0.5%, 1.1%, 2.2%, 3.3%, and 4.4%) within the indicated range. In an embodiment, “about 0” can refer to 0, 0.001, 0.01, or 0.1. In an embodiment, the term “about” can include traditional rounding according to significant figures of the numerical value. In addition, the phrase “about ‘x’ to ‘y’” includes “about ‘x’ to about ‘y’”.
The sports surfacing system, referred to herein as the CushionX System, is a fully adhered, seamless, installed in place, rubberized overlay surface approved by the Professional Pickleball Association for use on top of bare and previously-coated asphalt and concrete surfaces. The overlay is comprised of a prefabricated rubber shock pad produced with 86% post-consumer recycled crumb rubber bound with a polyurethane adhesive. It can also be used as an overlay solution for moderately degraded substrates.
As shown in
Alternatively, the playing surface can be a sports surface layer. The sports surface layer, referred to herein as the CushionXP System, is a system that can be fully adhered with barely-visible seams and installed in place. The sports surface layer includes large abrasive particles bonded by a tough, durable polymer to a dimensionally stable plastic film. The reverse side is coated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive covered by a removable protective liner. The adhesive side can be adhered to bare and previously-coated asphalt and concrete surfaces as well as to the rubberized overlay surface of the CushionX rubber shock pad as described above.
The sports surface layer can be printed. Advantageously, the printing ink reduces the texture to a similar consistency of sports surfaces made with 60 to 80 mesh sand incapsulated in acrylic coatings, typically seen on pickleball and tennis courts. Alternatively, texture can be printed on non-textured such as polyurethane and polyester-polyurethane. In another alternative embodiment, the sports surface layer can be a polyurethane or polyester-polyurethane non-texture film coated with the color coatings described herein to create a textured sports surface.
As shown in
In another embodiment, shown in
Advantageously, the sports surface layer can be installed as a portable, non-permanently installed layer. The sports surface layer can include a tacky, polyurethane backing that allows removal from the substrate instead of the self-adhesive backing.
Printing on the CushionXP is done using a flatbed LED UV printer or using a roll-to-roll solvent-based printer.
Refer to component SDS for product specific information. Wear a proper NIOSH approved respirator when handling silica sand.
Mat adhesive; 59″×60′ 4 mm urethane adhered granulized rubber mats (174 lbs. ea.); Seam Sealer; Mat sealer; Color coating (e.g. PicklePro™ Flex 100% self-crosslinking acrylic coatings); Line primer; Line paint; resurfacing filler such as Flex Resurfacer (for use with pitted asphalt).
Standard 3 or 4 ft, 50-60 durometer squeegee; 26″ wide, ¼″ Notch Squeegee; Extra ¼″ Notch Squeegee Blades; V-Squeegee
Protect liquid products from freezing. Store products between 4° C. (40° F.) and 32° C. (90° F.); Mat Packaging: 162 lb rubber rolls; Liquid Packaging: 55 gallon drum (460-570 lbs.); 30 gallon drum (260-310 lbs.); 5 gallon pails (50 lbs.); Drums are heavy. Use caution when moving.
New Construction (asphalt): Allow asphalt to cure for a minimum of 14 days. Flood surface with water to check for depressions 1/16″ or greater. Fill with filler such as ACRYTECH Sport Patch (Deep Patch) as needed and allow to cure.
Pitted Asphalt: “Loose” asphalt that has substantial voids in the surface. Clean with pressure washer as needed. Apply one coat of Resurfacer Flex to fill voids.
Smooth Asphalt: “Tight” asphalt. Clean with pressure washer as needed. Fill cracks and level with ACRYTECH Sport Patch (Deep Patch) as needed.
New Construction (concrete)—See Installation Recommendations section below. For proper bonding concrete should have a medium broom finish (CSP3-CSP4) and a vapor barrier installed. Allow concrete to cure a minimum of 30 days. Prepare concrete according to SSPC-SP 13. Pressure wash to remove efflorescence, concrete dust, dirt, etc. Prior to applying adhesive, ensure concrete is not “dusting.” If so, acid etch, shot blast to CSP3-CSP4 and re-pressure wash. Flood surface with water to check for depressions 1/16″ or greater. Fill cracks and level with such as ACRYTECH Sport Patch (Deep Patch) as needed. Fill any expansion joints with such as ACRYTECH Fill-N-Fix. Existing Construction (asphalt or concrete). Pressure wash surface hard to remove dirt, mildew, etc., and delaminated paint. Fill cracks and level with ACRYTECH Sport Patch (Deep Patch) as needed. Fill any expansion joints with such as such as ACRYTECH Fill-N-Fix.
Measure existing surface and plan to center CushionX and CushionXP. Mats are 60 feet long and 59 inches wide. Up to one foot of open space may be allowed on all sides of the CushionX and CushionXP. These may be trimmed on edges as necessary. Pop string line or place string along one long, one short side of fence, and for courts approximately 120 feet long, the center width.
Starting at one side of the court at the net line, Unroll the first section toward a fence and along the string line and ensure it is square. When unrolled, CushionX and CushionXP may be nudged with foot, hand, and “waved” into position. Do not apply too much force as it can tear.
Unroll the second roll and square up along the first and butt up seams so there is no gap. Repeat process for every roll. Apply 3-4″ masking tape to edges of mat where adhesive should not touch (for CushionX only).
A “butterfly” method can be used for adhering the rubber mats to the substrate. The first half of the first rubber mat will be the final adhered. Apply rubber Mat Adhesive, one half of court at a time.
Peel back, width ways, the entire half of mat #1 and #2, exposing approximately 5′×60′ of the substrate. Apply adhesive with a ¼″ notched squeegee at an average application of 4.5-5 gallons of adhesive over the whole section. Place rubber mats back down over adhesive with at least two people. Rubber mats may be nudged with foot, hand, and “waved back into place. NOTE: Notched squeegee blades should be replaced when worn. Lifespan varies based on surface and can be 1800-7200 sq ft. When coverage rate meets 4.5 gallons per 5′×60′ roll, replace squeegee blade.
Repeat through the remaining rubber mat sections. It is possible the mats expand from heat when peeled and placed back into position. It is acceptable to slightly reposition the mat outward to accommodate this expansion. On the last rubber mat, peel back and apply 2.25-2.5 gallons of adhesive.
Go back to first rubber mat, peel back the unadhered section and apply 2.25-2.5 gallons of adhesive. Upon completion of adhesive application, review seams and press down by foot any seams that have protruded or are uneven.
Repeat for other half of court. Allow mat to set for 3 to 5 hours (weather dependent). After the adhesive has set, roll the entire mat with a 100+lb. floor roller, paying special attention to seams. Note: If the roller pushes the rubber mat, the adhesive is not set, and more time is needed. When rolling the rubber mat, it is acceptable for adhesive to come to the top of the mat in thicker spots. Mark these spots and re-roll an hour later. Repeat until no more wet adhesive is apparent, then move to the next section.
After the completion of the measuring and preparation step, all rolls should be in place and all printed graphics should line up correctly. Fold back one end of the center roll and apply solvent (such as HF-100 solvent) liberally to the surface. The surface can be asphalt, concrete or CushionX rubberized mat.
Remove protective film and allow pressure-sensitive adhesive to meet the area coated in HP-100 solvent. The HP-100 solvent prevents adhesion for a short period of time and allows the roll to be slid or nudged into place.
Continue the process of applying solvent and removing protective film until all rolls have been adhered to the surface and nudged into place. Review all edges of mat and check for adhesion. If any sections are not adhered attempt to push roll down on to the surface and hold. If additional adhesive is needed it may be applied by lifting effected area and placing adhesive under the roll in small amounts.
Once the rubber shock pad is in place, apply Squeegee Mat sealer onto mat with standard squeegee application process and allow to dry. Coverage is approximately 15 gal per 1800 sq ft. After drying, review the entire mat and seams. Use Fill-N-Fix caulk to fill in any voids in the seams and fix any broken or scarred rubber.
After the mat sealer, apply two coats of PicklePro Flex color coatings with standard squeegee application process.
Finish surface with Line Primer and Line Paint. Do not apply excessive pressure to the line striping machine as this may deform lines. Less pressure is required with line striping machines on the pad than on hard surfaces.
Avoid applying to wet or damp substrates, or when rain is expected within 24 hours. Recommended substrate and ambient air temperatures: Min 50° F. (10° C.), Max 100° F. (38° C.). Avoid applying to concrete substrates with moisture levels above 4% by mass (parts by weight). Concrete moisture may be tested with such as Tramex® CME/CMEX type concrete moisture meters. If moisture is above 4%, apply ACRYTECH AcryLock according to the technical data sheet. Avoid applying when relative air humidity is expected to be above 80% within 4 hours of application.
The system, including painting/coating, was field tested. Samples were tested on a plexiglass substrate. Plexiglass mimics installation on asphalt or concrete. Samples 1A, 1B, and 1C comprised two layers of acrylic resurfacer as a primer and two layers of standard color coatings. Sample 2 comprised a 4 mm blended granulized rubber mat bound with polyurethane, topped with a latex sealer coat followed by two coats of premium flexible coatings that contain the same sand (and qty by volume) as Samples 1A-1C. Sample 3 is the same as Sample 2, but contained larger sized sand than the other samples.
Table 1 provides a summary of the results. As noted in bold, force reduction tests show that Samples 2 and 3—embodiments of the CushionX system-show a 15.3% reduction in force. This force reduction would make a player feel approximately 15% lighter than a typical surface.
AA FR
5.0
15.3
15.3
A “spray and roll” method can be used as an alternative method of installing the systems provided above. In brief, the rubber shock pads are taped together, then rolled up. Adhesive is applied to the substrate, then the rubber shock pads are unrolled onto the adhesive.
The installation method is performed on a substrate that has already been prepared. First, a plurality of rubber shock pads are temporarily positioned in place. In a particular example, a set of six rubber shock pads are used to form an entire court. The rubber shock pads are 60 feet long and 59 inches wide. In other examples, other sizes and numbers of rubber shock pads can be used to cover the substrate.
Once the rubber shock pads are in place and aligned so that there are no gaps between the rubber shock pads, the seams can be taped together. The tape can be a high-tensile strength tape such as a fiberglass cloth tape with acrylic adhesive or a bi-filament fiberglass strapping tape (e.g. CHR® GL SERIES Glass Cloth Pressure-Sensitive Adhesive Tape or 3M™ Scotch® Bi-Directional Filament Tape 8959). The tape can be applied using a tape line machine to ensure even application. In some embodiments, all of the rubber shock pads can be taped together such the entire court surface is covered at once. In other embodiments, smaller sets of rubber shock pads can be taped together. For example, for a court that will be covered with six rubber shock pads, two sets of three rubber shock pads can be taped together so that half of the court is covered at a time. In other examples, more rubber shock pads can be applied at once if there are enough installers to handle the larger rolls.
After the rubber shock pads are taped together into a larger mat, the mat can be taped to a core and rolled up. The core can be such as a heavy cardboard tube or a roller. In preferred embodiments, the core is cardboard with a wall thickness of about half an inch and an outer diameter of about 7 inches to about 14 inches. The core can be formed a single segment or from shorter segments attached together, for example to form a length of about 25 feet to about 32 feet. The core provides for easier installation. Smaller diameter cores can result in added stress on the mat and can be difficult to roll so that the mat is squared up on the core. The diameter of the core can be larger or smaller, but the provided diameter balances weight and functionality. Other materials can be used in place of cardboard, but may affect the weight of the overall system and the ease of installation.
The substrate is then coated with an adhesive. In a particular embodiment, the adhesive is applied using a sprayer. In other embodiments, the adhesive can be applied using a squeegee as described in Example 1.
The mat or mats of rubber shock pads can then be unrolled onto the adhesive and the high-tensile tape removed. Interestingly, the adhesives on the tapes are considered permanent, but function temporarily when used on the rubber mat. If left on for days or weeks, the tape would form a permanent bond.
The seam sealer, mat sealer, and color coating or sports surface layer (CushionXP) can then be applied the rubber shock pad layer as described in Example 1.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/612,743, filed Dec. 20, 2023, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63612743 | Dec 2023 | US |
